In my small urban backyard which is only twenty feet by sixty feet, I am able to identify and collect over 80 edible plants, especially if I walk down my street and make use of other plants in the neighborhood.

Most of these plants are literally wild and grow there by chance. Others I have transplanted to the yard, and they now return year after year. Some, like Japanese Knotweed, are quite invasive and I am happy they are not in my yard, but I can easily harvest them around the neighborhood. And some food, fruit bushes and trees like peach, fig, blueberry and blackberry, I have planted.

The following is a list of wild plants, separated into categories, of what grows in my tiny yard (and these are only the things I identify and use! There are plenty of other plants which I don’t know or do not know how to use hanging out as well.)

We had a great time going on a wild edibles walk with students of Pittsburgh’s SCA (Student Conservation Association.)
We knew we wouldn’t find any along the south side river trail, so we brought along some beautiful sky-blue chicory, which is in bloom all along the roadsides and all over the city these days.
We sampled herbal tea which had chicory in it, and discussed it’s use as a coffee substitute (drying and roasting the roots.)

Staghorn Sumac (which we all sampled the sumac lemonade we had made for them, see previous post.)

Staghorn Sumac - we soaked the red clusters in water for a lemony drink

Poisonous Crown Vetch - the variety Penngift was made in Pennsylvania, to plant along the highway to prevent soil erosion…with limited results. The soil continues to erode, and while cows and other ruminant can safely eat the plant, which is high in nitroglyceride, it is poisonous to horses and other non-ruminants. It spreads very easily as well.

Wild Carrot - which, though edible, we do not eat because of it’s similar appearance to the very deadly Water Hemlock and Poison Hemlock

Queen Anne's Lace/Wild Carrot

Mullein - an herb which benefits the lungs, and often smoked by Native Americans for that purpose

First Year Mullein basal rosette

St. John’s Wort - an herb used to treat depression

St. John's Wort

Here are some pictures of what the kids and adults of the SCA:

walking and talking with folks of the SCA

Pittsburgh Student Conservation Association

Finding Garlic Mustard Under The Trees

Reviewing what we'd identified

If you’d like more information about scheduling a wild edible walk for your group, please visit our wild event page. Or you can call Melissa at (412) 381-0116, or email to Melissa@FoodUnderFoot.com.

Here’s another of my favorite herbs to find: Mullein. The flowering plant is the second year (mullein is a two year plant, like Burdock.)

mullein

We collect and dry the fuzzy soft mullein leaves, the tea from which is excellent for the lungs. Those beautiful yellow flowers can be steeped in olive oil for an excellent ear oil to use in cases of ear aches (safe on animals, as well.) We often mix mullein oil with garlic oil to use as drops in the ear.

Here is the beautiful Milkweed in bloom:

milkweed

Monarch butterfly chrysalises can be found on milkweed plants. Some people find the catepillar eggs early in the season and collect the leaves of the plant, feeding the catepillars throughout the year (milkweed leaves, of course) and will hatch a monarch butterfly to release in the summer!

The flowers smell like lilacs. Some people steam the flowers to eat.

Finally we have the very delicious black raspberries, whose season is nearly done here in Pittsburgh.

black raspberries

In this picture I am demonstrating that the underside of the raspberry leaves are white, as opposed to blackberries, (which will ripen later), which are green underneathe.

Of course, you’ll also still find dandelions blooming, chicory flowering, burdock and thistles in purple bloom…it’s just gorgeous out there. I’ll post more pictures and let you know what we’re up to!

We’d love to hear what you’ve been doing as well! Any new finds, recipes, tinctures, or oils? Please let us know!!